WestJet reports December load factor of 81.7 per cent

CALGARY, Jan. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced December 2013
traffic results with a load factor of 81.7 per cent. Revenue passenger
miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 7.2 per cent year over year, and
capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 7.4 per cent
over the same period. The airline flew 18.5 million guests in the
full-year 2013, a year-over-year increase of 6.1 per cent or
approximately 1.1 million additional guests.

"We are very pleased to finish the year with our second-highest fourth
quarter and full-year load factors, as well as setting a new single-day
record as we flew 60,566 guests on December 20th," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "I want to thank
WestJetters for their continued efforts in providing our guests with a
safe and remarkable travel experience this holiday season, especially
given the challenging winter weather."

December 2013 traffic results

December 2013

December 2012

Change

Load factor

81.7%

81.9%

(0.2 pts)

ASMs (billions)

2.155

2.006

7.4%

RPMs (billions)

1.760

1.642

7.2%

Fourth quarter 2013

Fourth quarter 2012

Change

Load factor

80.3%

81.9%

(1.6 pts)

ASMs (billions)

5.942

5.487

8.3%

RPMs (billions)

4.769

4.493

6.1%

Full-year 2013

Full-year 2012

Change

Load factor

81.7%

82.8%

(1.1 pts)

ASMs (billions)

23.971

22.064

8.6%

RPMs (billions)

19.591

18.263

7.3%

In December, WestJet, WestJet Vacations and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
(Canada) unveiled the Magic Plane, a custom-painted Boeing
Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft in WestJet's fleet featuring Mickey
Mouse in his most famous role, Sorcerer Mickey. The Magic Plane made
its inaugural flight from Calgary to Orlando, Florida, on December 3rd, and will fly throughout WestJet's expanding domestic, trans-border and
international network.

WestJet serves Orlando, home of Walt Disney World Resort, with a total
of 39 flights per week during peak winter months from Calgary,
Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, London, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal,
Halifax, Moncton and St. John's, Nfld., while WestJet Vacations offers
a variety of vacation packages to the Walt Disney World Resort.

WestJet's New Year's Sale, which lasts through January 7th, 2014, offers guests a way to start the new year with great deals for
winter and springtime travel.

About WestJet
WestJet is Canada's most preferred airline, offering scheduled service
to 88 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and
Europe. Powered by an award-winning culture of care, WestJet pioneered
low-cost flying in Canada. Recognized nationally as a top employer,
WestJet now has more than 9,600 WestJetters across Canada. Operating a
fleet of more than 100 Boeing Next-Generation 737 and Bombardier Q400
NextGen aircraft, WestJet strives to be one of the five most successful
international airlines in the world. In 2013, WestJet launched its new
regional airline, WestJet Encore.

About WestJet Vacations
WestJet Vacations provides guests with affordable, reliable and
easy-to-book travel experiences to 55 destinations in 18 countries,
including the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Leveraging
WestJet's fun and friendly image, extensive network and remarkable
guest experience, WestJet Vacations offers guests a great flight
schedule and a wide variety of hotel and resort options to create fun
and affordable vacation experiences. For more information visit www.westjetvacations.com.